Third suspect arraigned in murder of homeless man in Weymouth

Scott T. Steadman, 48, pleaded innocent at his arraignment Wednesday in Norfolk Superior Court to murder and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was indicted by a grand jury Sept. 23.

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

Writer

Posted Oct. 10, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 10, 2009 at 10:11 AM

Posted Oct. 10, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 10, 2009 at 10:11 AM

DEDHAM

» Social News

A Holbrook man under indictment for the murder of a homeless man in Weymouth is being held without bail.

Scott T. Steadman, 48, pleaded innocent at his arraignment Wednesday in Norfolk Superior Court to murder and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was indicted by a grand jury Sept. 23.

Steadman is one of three people charged in the killing of 49-year-old Ronald Pratt. Authorities say Pratt was stabbed to death with a deer-skinning knife in a tent where he lived in Indian Hill, a wooded area off Washington Street in Weymouth.

William Lambert, 48, of Weymouth pleaded innocent in September to being an accessory before the fact of murder, being an accessory after the fact of murder and being an accessory after the fact of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. His bail was set at $10,000.

Timothy Estabrooks, 44, of Brockton pleaded innocent in September to a charge of being an after-the-fact accessory to murder. His bail was set at $5,000.

Pratt’s body was discovered July 19 by Kristen and Robert Fuller, who also had been living in the woods.

Kristen Fuller told police that she had been drinking there the night before with her husband, Pratt, Steadman and Estabrooks. She also said Lambert had been there but left.

Fuller said Pratt got in a fight with Steadman, a police report states. Steadman told Estabrooks that Pratt had threatened his family, the report says.

Enraged, Steadman drove with Estabrooks to Lambert’s nearby apartment, where he got a deer-skinning knife, the report says. Lambert later told police that he gave the knife to Steadman after Steadman said he was returning to “punch out” Pratt and asked for something to protect himself.